Is the ‘Yellowstone’ train station based on a real place?
Daniel Johnson When fans think of Yellowstone, several things probably come to mind: the hilarious ranch hands, the romance between Rip and Beth, the beautiful scenery, the power struggle between the Duttons and their enemies, and train tickets.
Recommended VideosOkay, so that last item might not be something you’d think of if you were a casual fan of Yellowstone, or if you were thinking of a western drama at all — but in Taylor Sheridan’s universe, it makes a lot of sense. The Yellowstone Dutton Ranch isn’t too far away from a train station, but not just any depot. The Yellowstone train station is unique; it provides travelers with a once-in-a-lifetime trip!
So how do you get a ticket to Yellowstone‘s train station? Who chauffeurs you on your big ride, and why on earth isn’t everyone chomping at the bit to take a trip? Let’s take a look.
What’s up with the ‘Yellowstone’ train station?
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Much like an actual train station, the train station takes people on a journey away from the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. The thing about this specific train station is that its passengers are on a very specific type of trip, a one-way trip, and it’s not exactly to greener pastures.
The train station is the place where those who burn the Duttons or fail miserably on the ranch are taken to experience their final journey. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re getting that one-way ticket if they can’t train an animal or get a little drunk after work. No, the fare for this ride is far higher than that.
To get a ride on the Yellowstone train, you’ve got to burn all bridges back to a place of trust and respect. Those catching this train ride have committed an ultimate sin, dealt a life-altering blow, and flat-out messed with the wrong people.
The train station itself isn’t flashy; there aren’t people buzzing about with rolling suitcases, tickets in hand. The station is a small piece of road on the side of a cliff that leads to, well — one’s untimely death. Suppose you’re suddenly escorted off the ranch in the dead of night. In that case, chances are, you already know what’s coming — but if anyone survives the ride to the station, they still find themselves asking the one inevitable question: where are we going?
The answer is always the same: to the train station — and the conversation usually doesn’t continue much from there.
Why does Rip take people to the train station?
Rip Wheeler, John Dutton’s right-hand man, isn’t the only one who takes people to the train station, but when it’s time for them to take the ride — he’s always willing to be the conductor. So why would Rip be someone that escorts passengers to the train station?
Well, as we mentioned above, he’s Dutton’s go-to guy. He knows what Dutton needs before asking, and some things are almost too painful to say out loud. The benefit of having a ranch-hand-turned-family-member like Wheeler is the fact that Dutton doesn’t have to ask during the most painful moments when it’s too difficult to even speak; a simple nod or a look lets him know what needs to be done.
Of course, Dutton isn’t a glutton for pain and punishment, and the train station isn’t the first stop for someone who has wronged them. Dutton isn’t soft, but he’s not a man that makes rash decisions. When Wheeler, Lloyd, or even Kayce escort someone to the train station, blood is likely on their hands, and they must take the ride.
Wheeler also wears the brand, which means he’s part of the trusted inner circle, as are Lloyd and Kayce. When you earn that level of trust and respect, you already know what the train station means and what it is to take someone there. It’s not a drive everyone is willing to take, but those who must conduct that train know why they’ve been chosen.
Where is the train station?
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Lloyd describes the train station to Walker as “a county with no people, no Sheriff, and no 12-man jury of your peers.” If you’ve managed to get a ticket to the train station, your peers will know the kind of person you are, and their judgment would be no better than this very special ride. That is if the jury could exist at all.
The train station is a small piece of highway that overlooks a steep cliff — leading to a painful fall that seals the fate of the one taking the ride. The road sign leading towards the train station is a welcome sign to Wyoming, making a lot of sense. Why does the Wyoming welcome sign mean something special, and where exactly is this chunk of the road?
The train station has only been seen at night, and a user on TikTok thinks they found the location and while we’re not certain, many fans agree. TikTok user taphobay shares a video of the area they believe to be the train station, and it’s as rugged and devastating as it would need to be to get the job done.
@taphobay ♬ original sound – SunflowerInTheCemetery
Wyoming being a significant key to the train station has to do with something eerie that links back to what Lloyd said to Walker. A “Zone of Death” exists due to a sort of loophole situation, and it seems to be exactly what inspired the train station.
Vox explains the loophole in the Constitution of the United States in this video and goes deeper into the “Zone of Death” in a piece that gives readers a hypothetical situation that could, in all likelihood, play out if someone were brave enough to try it.
The thing is, no one — that’s ever admitted it anyway — has willingly handed themselves over for murder committed in this specific area of Yellowstone and waited to be put in front of a jury of their peers, one that can’t exactly exist.
So while the Zone of Death is seemingly a real area of lawlessness — it’s not exactly a “train station” people are waiting to snag a ride to. If you’re going to cross the Duttons, you know they’ve got enough backbone, grit, and support to take care of you, be it at the train station or their ranch.
The smart choice is for someone who thinks about crossing the Dutton family to count their blessings instead and live to see another day, but that would make for quite boring television, wouldn’t it?
With a character taking a ride to the train station during the season four finale, viewers know that the depot is still accepting passengers, and we’re sure someone will be getting a one-way ticket in season 5.
You can watch the first four seasons of Yellowstone on Peacock now, and the wait for season 5 is almost over. The first episode is set to premiere on Paramount on Nov. 13. Here’s to the Duttons, and never going to the train station. We’d rather take a scenic ride with Rip Wheeler — one where we both get to come back to the ranch.
